Five years ago, at a young age; I had a stroke. My busy life was forced to slow down. Slowing down is no easy task. My garden taught me how to move through life at a slower pace, and to pay attention to the beautiful simplicity all around us. This photo was taken one day as I cried tears of frustration from the challenging work of stroke recovery. My garden cries with me. My garden calms me. My garden is my quiet place.